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Ble Sucre, Paris


I don't know why I sometimes procrastinate.  I have known about Ble Sucre for many years, yet have never made an effort to actually visit.  I really can't explain why.  I guess there is just so much time that I can devote to eating while on vacation without being carted off on a stretcher due to a massive coronary.  Before each visit to Paris, I have such an extensive list of boulangeries, patisseries, and restaurants to try that cuts and sacrifices need to be made.  Ble Sucre has not made the cut for many years, so I finally decided to see what all the fuss has been about. 

Why, oh why did I wait so long?!  I got off the #86 bus on rue du Faubourg Saint Antoine and turned left onto rue Antoine Vollon.  I was walking down a nice street lined with small shops on one side and a neighborhood park (Square Trousseau) on the other.  I spotted a few tables filled with people happily enjoying breakfast underneath a gray awning.  I have arrived at Ble Sucre.  The place was busy, a wonderful aroma of freshly baked delicacies was in the air, and I wanted everything that I laid my eyes on.  I could sense that this is going to be a good experience. 

Fabrice Le Bourdat, opened Ble Sucre after having worked as a pastry chef at Le Bristol.  Ble Sucre is quite small, but filled to the brim with heavenly breads, cakes, pastries, quiches, sandwiches, and viennoiserie.



 


 There is not a single item here that I did not lust after.


All the pastries looked fresh and delightful.


Sometimes I like to judge a place by what their millefeuille tastes like, and this beauty was on point;  crispy puff pastry, and delicious, light, and sweet cream.


The Millefeuille, however, was not why I rode a bus for 20 minutes.  My mission that morning was to taste the pain au chocolat that so many have been raving about.  I came prepared to taste it and proclaim that I have had better, I am not one for hype, you can't fool me.....blah, blah, blah. 

Since it was a brisk day I got a cup of hot tea to accompany the pain au chocolat.  All the tables outside were taken so I crossed the small street and found a bench in the little playground/park that was filled with small children and their parents enjoying some quality time together.  I rested the tray on a green bench, stirred a bit of sugar into my tea and picked up the pain au chocolate.   You know how sometimes you can just tell that something will be good? Yeah, that's how it felt. 




 I paused long enough to snap one photo.


The Ble Sucre croissant was heavenly, sublime, and spectacular.  It was so good that I already started to plan on renting an apartment in the neighborhood just to be close to Ble Sucre.  I found myself taking slow and measured bites, wanting to savor the nuances in the flavors, enjoying the buttery yet delicate layers, the flaky crust, and the smooth chocolate.  I decided that it was the second best pain au chocolate I have ever had. 

The best pain au chocolate I have ever tasted was when, as an 18 year old visiting Paris with friends, we happened upon a small neighborhood bakery very, very late at night, or was it early morning?  We stood there transfixed by the intoxicating smell of pain au chocolat being taken out of the oven.  One of the bakers got a kick out of our facial expressions and handed us a paper bag filled with fresh croissants.  I fell in love, on a small street somewhere in the 7th Arrondissement at four in the morning, biting into the soft, flaky pastry, and having the hot chocolate scorch my tongue.   That was the best pain au chocolate I have ever tasted.

 I began to kick myself for not coming here a long time ago, I could have had years of enjoying the most spectacular pain au chocolat.  Well, now I know.

  

Ble sucre is also known for the sublime Madeleines which are soft and covered by citrusy icing.  I got a small bag of the Madeleines and financiers to take back to New York.  They were enjoyed by my husband and sons.


Another reason to visit Paris.



Ble Sucre
7 rue Anotoine Vollon
Tuesday - Saturday - 7am - 7:30pm
Sunday - 7am - 1:30pm
Closed Monday

Joanna


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